Jesús Galindo

I am committed to working in solidarity with my students and their parents to create the following counter-narratives: Academic Achievement Current Narrative: Students who attend schools in wealthier communities significantly outperform students who attend schools in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods. Example: According to the 2017 Smarter Balanced Results, over 80% of 3rd Graders at Kensington Elementary—a school located in one of the East Bay’s wealthiest neighborhoods—met or exceeded Math and ELA CCSS. On the other hand, less than 23% of 3rd Graders at Lincoln met or exceeded Math and ELA CCSS. Counter-Narrative: Economically disadvantaged students perform at the same level or outperform their wealthier counterparts on standardized tests. Example: 80% of 3rd Graders at Lincoln met or exceeded Math and ELA CCSS compared to 80% of 3rd Graders at Kensington. Matching the performance of Kensington 3rd Graders is not our goal, but one of the many milestones on our journey. Critical Consciousness Current Narrative: The majority of students, especially those from marginalized communities, receive the type of education that does not allow them to identify and dismantle the systems of oppression that keep them and their families from achieving their full potential. Counter-Narrative: Purposefully teach students the mindsets and skills they need to chip away at the systems of oppression they are most passionate about. We live in a world where the fight for civil rights is no longer an extracurricular activity but placed at the heart of everything we do in education. I value feedback; thus, if you have any feedback for me, please do not hesitate to reach out to me.